I88s.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



217 



it. These trees therefore, seem to be direcious, as 

 the books on conifera: describe the species to be. 

 It still leaves the cases of isolated trees bearing 

 fruit in doubt. Does the plant really have male 

 and female blossoms on the one tree sometimes ? 

 Or is the pollen wafted from long distances as 

 pine tree pollen often is ? 



The Hollyhock Disease. — J. C. Arthur, New 

 York Agric. Exper. Station. Geneva, N. Y., says : 

 •'There is no record of the hollyhock disease 

 caused by Puccinia Malvacearum occurring upon 



any cultivated plant in America, and is only re- 

 ported upon wild plants in Kansas and California. 

 The latter, moreover, may prove upon further 

 observation to be distinct from the European 

 species. It is a matter of interest, therefore, as to 

 what fungus is referred to in the June number of 

 the Monthly as being very destructive to holly- 

 hocks; it is pretty certain that it is not Puccinia 

 Malvacearum, as supposed. The writer will 

 gladly examine and report upon any specimens 

 sent him." 



Literature, Travels and Personal Notes. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



INTERESTING PLACES. 

 BY \VM. T. HARDING. 



After perusing the well arranged spring cata- 

 logue of select hot-house, greenhouse, hardy and 

 new plants, received from David Fergusson & 

 Sons, Laurel Hill Nurseries, I'hiladelphia, I felt 

 the strongest inclination possible to go at once 

 and see them growing. And in fact so much was 

 I impressed with the desire that I willingly yielded 

 to the alluring temptation held out and was soon 

 among them. 



" Great Expectations," alas ! are not always 

 realized in this deceptive world, yet, on this par- 

 ticular occasion they certainly excelled all my 

 fancy painted them. And how highly gratifying 

 it is to the observer who is diligently looking out 

 for something good, when agreeably confronted 

 with that which he is in search of. And this was 

 the happy experience of your correspondent, when 

 on the fourth day of " Smiling May " he entered 

 the land of perpetual summer, where from distant 

 regions were gathered gorgeous groups of the 

 brilliant bon ton tropical beauties, in all the varied 

 phases of leaf splendor and blooming grandeur 

 that could possibly assemble beneath canopies of 

 glass. 



It is wisely said, " He shall best paint them who 

 shall feel them most." And true as the assertion 

 may be, the writer, with all his ardent admiration 

 for such beautiful things, is nevertheless compelled 

 to admit his lack of adequate language utterly un- 

 fits him to properly depict the grace, elegance, 

 radiance and fragrance, which combined to render 



all so charming. To specify all that is interesting 

 would be impossible, and especially so when every 

 object seemed worthy to be designated admirable. 

 And could sufficient space be spared to fill several 

 columns with the mere names of the numerous 

 grand specimens, it would not satisfy the patient 

 readers without fully describing them. So, " for 

 sweet charity's sake," I trust they will pardon me 

 for not making the attempt. Suffice it to say that 

 in every department under the sashes, as well as 

 the grounds outside, everything was excellently ' 

 done. The same remarks apply to the bouquet 

 rooms, potting sheds and packing house, where a 

 number of active hands were busily engaged in 

 filling orders. 



As instances of marked improvements in old 

 favorite flowers were frequently pointed out, and 

 the merits of new species discussed, while inspect- 

 ing this unique establishment, the thought natur- 

 ally suggested from what I saw about me was, 

 what an excellent place it is to demonstrate flori- 

 cultural progress in. And as the last door closed 

 of the many plant houses we passed through, I 

 felt fully convinced with the fact that the cata- 

 logue's descriptions of the beautiful things I had 

 carefully inspected were not in any sense exag- 

 gerations. 



Butler, of " Hudibras" fame, might have been 

 similarly impressed with what Tie saw in his day, 

 when he penned the following lines — 



" How fair and sweet the ]ilauted rose 

 Beyond tlie wild in hedges grows ! 

 For without art the noblest seeds 

 01^ flowers, degenerate into weeds." 



After several well spent hours in the nursery, 

 Mr. T. Fergusson kindly proposed taking a quiet 



